Spring

Spring has been really wet here. Our garden is coming up nicely, but it has been so wet we can't get in it to weed. Hopefully this evening we can get it to do some tilling since this makes the 2nd day without rain. I still have plants from the mark down deal I got a Lowe's that need planting (hopefully this week-end).

The potatoes in the barrels are starting to die back. I hope that is because they have made lots of potatoes, however I haven't been able to scratch any out yet. I am thinking of making the wooden bins for next year. You can remove some of the boards from the bottom and have access to the potatoes. You can't really do that with a barrel.

I have one tomato on a plant that I planted in a container. The container is a wine barrel ( a whole one). It came with an insert made of styrofoam and lined with a plastic liner so you could use it to ice down sodas. I took out the plastic liner and poked a few holes in the bottom for drainage planted 2 different kinds of basil, onions and a tomato in the middle. Greg came along behind me and planted 2 more tomatoes. I know there isn't room for 3 tomatoes so I think I will try to transplant 2 of them. The rest of the tomatoes are blooming and look really healthy.

The squash and zucchini are looking good and so are the peas and beans. I am going to try to plant some lettuce in the flower bed on the shady side of the porch. It's too shady there for most flowers, I do have a couple planted there, but I thought that since the summer is turning out so hot maybe some lettuce and radishes in the flower bed would be a good idea.

I have really become more and more intent on growing food. I have two huge flower pots that I usually plant with flowers to go one either side of the front steps, this weekend I am going to plant some peppers & lettuce and maybe even a cabbage or a couple of radishes in them. Vegetable plants are pretty, too. They offer different shades of green and peppers can have lots of color to add to a pot.

Our vacation is just around the corner. We will be going to Georgia for the 4th of July weekend and then Daniel, Larissa and Dixie will follow us home and spend the rest of that week with us. We are planning a couple of day trips, one to Natural Bridge, and one to an orchard. We are also planning to spend at least one evening catching lightening bugs and one evening on the back of the farm watching stars. I am also sure that lots of time will be spent in the pool.

My sister and husband will coming for a visit next week and we are looking forward to that. On the 26th we are having people over from church for a cookout. We are suddenly getting really busy, that's what usually happens in the summer and then it's over so quickly you wonder where the summer went.

I hope you enjoy your summer.
Mae